Step-by-step process to create your company values

Are you tired of seeing your company values reduced to nothing more than words on a poster? Do you feel that they fail to reflect the actions of your team? If so, it's time to align your values with your actions.

Having a clear set of values is essential for any business, but it's equally important to ensure that those values are reflected in the day-to-day behavior of your team. This is where a values exercise can be incredibly valuable.

Here's a simple step-by-step process to help you create values that actually represent your team's behaviors:

1. Ask your executive team to write out the most commonly great behaviors they see at the company. These could be actions that align with your mission statement, demonstrate strong work ethics, or embody your company culture.
2. Supply those behaviors with an example and a person's name to praise that team member. This personal touch helps to bring the values to life and make them more tangible.
3. Have a live discussion where a decision-maker (cofounder or COO) asks questions and clarifies all of the written behaviors and examples. This discussion helps to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that the behaviors are consistent with the company's values.
4. The decision-maker should come up with a draft of the values written in Value-Behavior-Story form. This format helps to create a narrative around the values and makes them more memorable.
5. Invite your executive team to comment again and get buy-in. It's important to get feedback from the team to ensure that the values are truly reflective of the company's culture and behavior.
6. Make sure everyone feels heard. It's essential to create an inclusive environment where everyone's opinions are valued.
7. Create a next step of action to implement the values. Perhaps, there is a public shoutout at every all-hands meeting, or some companies may tie in values in performance reviews.
8. By going through this exercise, you'll be able to create values that are more than just empty words. Your team will be able to see these values in action and live by them every day.

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Values that align with your team's behaviors can have a powerful impact on your company culture, productivity, and success. So, take the time to invest in this exercise and see the positive changes it can bring to your startup.

Remember, your values are a reflection of your company, so make sure they represent who you are and what you stand for.

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About the Author

Sabrina Wang is a CEO coach for extraordinary leaders of Series A to Unicorn companies. She is a founder, CEO, and operator who brings real-life experiences in building products and scaling revenue into her coaching. She is a writer, creative, and trained meditation teacher.